Jul 19 2024
The Causses region of central southern France is famous for its blue cheeses and is the perfect origin for what many people call the ‘King of Cheeses’: Roquefort. There are plenty of other cheeses which may dispute that title, but not many that would argue Roquefort is the King of Blue Cheeses, and it owes everything to the wild and natural terrain of the Causses region.
As the dominant region in the Massif Central, Causses is bordered by the Limousin, Perigord, Aubrac and Cevennes mountain regions and measures approximately 100km from north to south. It was named on the UNESCO World Heritage Site register in 2011 for “bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition”, this being an outstanding example of Mediterranean agropastoralism.
A translation of Causses means ‘limestone plateaus’ and the white, glacial mountains give areas of Causses an eerie feel, but also give its blue cheeses their unmistakable character and flavour. The area has been famous for rearing sheep and cattle since the Bronze Age, and in the Middle Ages became a significant religious area. The Benedictine Abbeys in the region built irrigation systems and road networks which are still used today, along with large farm complexes and distinctive, long stone outbuildings called ‘les Jasses’, which are used to house sheep in the winter.
All this helps to boost the tourist economy attracted by the spectacular limestone landscapes and the deep river gorges running through them. There are no large cities or towns in the region, with the most popular villages Causse de Sauveterre and Causse Mejean helping to maintain the long tradition of blue cheese making.
There are several blue cheeses made in Causses, but undoubtedly the most popular is Roquefort, a world famous cheese synonymous with the culture and character of regional France. Roquefort is an ivory-coloured ewe’s milk cheese which takes its character from the limestone rocks of the Causses region. The cool air and humidity provide unique biological conditions which have helped Roquefort deliver a consistent and distinctive flavour since the Middle Ages.
Legend has it that Roquefort was discovered when a young gentleman was idly eating his lunch one day: bread with a ewe’s milk cheese. He spotted a pretty girl and ran after her, discarding his lunch in a nearby cave. He returned months later to find the mould had produced the first variation of what we know as Roquefort today. It has long been established as the most popular blue cheese, and as long ago as 1820 was being produced in volumes of around 300 tonnes per year.
The colour of the blue vein in Roquefort can vary depending on the strain of Penicillium used, which is the mould that comes from local caves. The cheese is ripened locally in natural cellars wrapped in foil, where the intense, strong lactic taste, the faint moisture and the sensational aroma develops. This PDO cheese has a smooth and creamy texture, no rind and has a salty but edible exterior. It is perfect for cheeseboards and in salads and is popular as the main ingredient in a creamy sauce for pasta or in a quiche. Needless to say, it is also the ideal accompaniment for a glass of red wine or a sweet wine like a Muscat or Jurancon.
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